BLISS BLISTERS TO WIN AT PPIR

Mike Bliss, back in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series after a two-year absence, took the victory and the series point lead as he led Bud Pole winner Jason Leffler to the checkered flag in Sunday's Rocky Mountain 200 by Dodge at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Bliss, who won $45,435, scored his eighth victory on the series and first since August 1999 at Heartland Park Topeka. He passed Travis Kvapil on the 165th of 200 laps then held off Leffler's final charge which closed to .330 second - about four lengths of the winning IWX Motor Freight/Knights Inn Chevrolet. Leffler led a race high 95 laps before his Team ASE Racing/Carquest Dodge lost some steam following the race's final pit stops on lap 112.

Ironically, Bliss drove for the second place owner, Ultra Motorsports, from 1995 through 1998.

Coupled with a fifth-place finish by former series point leader David Starr, Bliss assumed a one-point championship lead after five of 22 races. Bliss has 754 points to Starr's 753.

Five competitors exchanged the lead 10 times as Bliss averaged 103.004 mph for the 200-mile distance. He's the season's fifth different winner in as many races.

Kvapil finished third in his CAT Rental Stores Chevrolet, followed by Terry Cook's Power Stroke Diesel Ford and Starr. Rick Crawford, Dennis Setzer, Steve Portenga, Coy Gibbs and Brian Rose completed the top 10 finishers.

Results follow:

1. (3) Mike Bliss, Chevrolet, 200, $45,435

2. (1) Jason Leffler, Dodge, 200, $34,425

3. (7) Travis Kvapil, Chevrolet, 200, $21,715

4. (4) Terry Cook, Ford, 200, $14,625

5. (6) David Starr, Chevrolet, 200, $13,400

6. (8) Rick Crawford, Ford, 200, $12,850

7. (5) Dennis Setzer, Chevrolet, 200, $12,300

8. (25) Steve Portenga, Chevrolet, 200, $13,400

9. (11) Coy Gibbs, Chevrolet, 200, $12,075

10. (13) Brian Rose, Dodge, 200, $12,675

11. (14) Lance Norick, Chevrolet, 200, $12,125

12. (17) Jon Wood, Ford, 200, $11,590

13. (16) Carlos Contreras, Dodge, 200, $11,515

14. (12) Trent Owens, Ford, 199, $12,465

15. (9) Bill Lester, Dodge, 199, $11,690

16. (2) Ted Musgrave, Dodge, 199, $11,315

17. (15) Michael Ritch, Dodge, 199, $11,265

18. (20) Lance Hooper, Dodge, 198, $11,215

19. (24) Rodney Sawyers, Dodge, 197, $9,915

20. (28) Bobby Dotter, Chevrolet, 196, $10,115

21. (26) Stan Boyd, Chevrolet, 196, $8,840

22. (18) Jason Small, Chevrolet, 195, $8,815

23. (33) Jerry Hill, Dodge, 193, $8,790

24. (22) Randy MacDonald, Chevrolet, 190, $8,765

25. (27) Angie Wilson, Chevrolet, 189, $8,740

26. (19) Brendan Gaughan, Dodge, 189, $8,715

27. (32) Jerry Allec Jr., Chevrolet, 187, $8,690

28. (31) Mike Hamby, Chevrolet, 186, $8,665

29. (23) Matt Crafton, Chevrolet, 163, engine, $8,615

30. (10) Robert Pressley, Dodge, 152, engine, $8,590

31. (30) Chris Horn, Chevrolet, 140, rear end, $8,565

32. (35) Dana White, Chevrolet, 55, clutch, $8,540

33. (34) Tom Powers, Dodge, 38, engine, $8,515

34. (21) Morgan Shepherd, Ford, 25, transmission, $8,490

35. (29) Phil Bonifield, Chevrolet, 18, engine, $8,465

36. (36) Loni Richardson, Chevrolet, 16, engine, $8,440

Race Statistics

Time of race: 1 hour 56 minutes 30 seconds

Average speed: 103.004 mph

Margin of victory: 0.330 second

Caution flags: 6 for 28 laps (5-7, 44-48, 55-58, 63-70, 112-115, 154-157)

Lead changes: 10 among 5 drivers

Lap leaders: Leffler grid, Musgrave 1-2, Leffler 3-44, Boyd 45-48, Musgrave 49-59, Leffler 60-112, Bliss 113-121, Musgrave 122-124, Bliss 125, Kvapil 126-164, Bliss 165-200

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Standings (unofficial): 1. Bliss 754; 2. Starr 753; 3. Crawford 726; 4. Leffler 723; 5. Musgrave 713; 6. Setzer 677; 7. Rose 675; 8. Norick 653; 9. Wood 650; 10. Cook 653

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